Home
by Snowcouger
Summary: Naruto is forced to leave the village at an early age. How much can one person change when gone for nearly 10 years? Angst, violence, massive amounts of blood at points, and some other stuff i can't think of.


_"Wait! Don't Go!"_ screamed the small boy after the receding form. He ran as fast as he could, trying to catch the other child. "_Please! I didn't mean to scare you! Come back!!!"_

_"Leave me alone!"_ called the other over his shoulder.

_"Please! Don't run away! Let me explain!"_

_"NO!"_ he screamed and ran faster. He ran for all he was worth untill he reached the edge of the village. He tried and failed to avoid a cart that was partially blocking the road. _"Help me!!!"_ he screamed as he realized the other would catch him now. Several adults ran to him, _"Whats wrong? Are you hurt?" _asked one. He nodded and rubbed his ankle. The other boy had finally caught up and was standing several feet behind the group, scared of the adults. One noticed him sulking and grabbed him by the shoulders, _"Did you do this!?"_ The others moved to encircle the boy, ensuring he couldn't escape. "Well!?"

_"I-i didn't... I never meant... I wasn't trying to ... I didn't hurt," _was all he got out before the man that held him smacked him, hard. He flew to the ground with a dull thud. The adults converged and started beating the boy mercilessly. _"Think you can scare normal kids, ehh?" _one asked as he delivered a vicious kick. _"Think you're so superior, do ya?"_ One flipped the boy onto his back with a foot. _"Well then, how superior does this make you feel," _he spat as he stomped on the boy's face, crushing his nose. The boy lay there, bleeding and broken, waiting for the next blow. "_You... do... not.. talk to... the other children! You ... do...not... interact...with them! If I ever... see you near... another child again... I will personally see that you don't live to see another sunrise!" _He punctuated every other word or so with a bone-crushing kick. With one final kick he spat on the ground and left the boy to bleed. The other adults moved away to help the one that had sprained his ankle.

The broken boy lay there, unmoving, nearly unconscious. Through the dense fog clouding his mind he could just feel the pain of the broken bones, taste the blood that spilled from his mouth. It was obvious that his nose was broken, and he could feel the jab of pain that accompanied every breath, signaling at least broken ribs, if not a punctured lung. He also knew that no one to help him. Even if he had the strength left to call out, he was more likely to be beaten again if he called out. Drifting in and out of consciousness, he managed to drag himself off the street. The pain of each movement nearly overwhelmed him. He could just see through the red haze that covered his eyes; couldn't hear anything but the rush of blood in his ears. He knew he was probably going to die. All that he wanted now was to find a quiet spot. He dragged himself, slowly, painfully, out of the village and back into the cool shade of the forest. He managed to push himself into an almost sitting position, leaning against and ancient oak. "_At least..."_ he sighed before he passed out, "_I if I die, it'll be in peace..."_

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That was over ten years ago. The small boy that had been so brutally beaten had managed to survive somehow, but had never returned to the village. As soon as he was able, he made his way far from that place. He was sick of being beaten and abused. He spent the first few years wondering the country, living off whatever he could find, sleeping wherever he could find shelter. It wasn't untill he was five years older and stronger that he was able to do any kind of meaningful work. He continued roaming, doing odd jobs for money, slowly saving whatever he could. It took him three years, but he finally saved enough to buy a katana. Not a top quality one, he could never hope to afford one of those, but it would do. He continued working odd jobs, but in his spare hours he trained in the arts of swordsmanship. Two more years pass in this fashion before he felt ready. He had been away from his ex-home long enough. It was time to return. This time however, he wouldn't be the villagers plaything. He had grown tall and strong, and the years of brutal living and work had hardened his mind and body to the point that he could handle almost anything. As he stood outside the gates of the village, he renewed a vow that had been made all those years ago: he would find the ones that had nearly killed them, and make them pay.

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"State your business!" called the ninja that sat just inside the gate. It was his job to screen all incoming travelers.

The traveler walked up to the table and handed the ninja his traveling papers. "I'm here on business and to watch the Chunnin exams," he replied flatly.

The ninja examined the papers, compared the picture on them to the man that stood before him, and nodded. "Everything seems to be in order. You must consent to a search and declare any weapons you are carrying before I can allow you to pass."

The traveler nodded and placed his sword on the table. He reached into the pouch he wore on his leg and extracted his kunai and several shuriken, along with a first aid kit and a map of the country.

The ninja stared at the equipment. "That's quiet a few weapons you have. You're decked out like a ninja on field duty."

"My father was a ninja in another village. He taught me basic usage of these weapons before he died."

The guard ninja stared, and then glanced back at the papers he held. "It says here you are a native of the fire country?"

"My mother was a civilian from the fire country working in another land. She met my father and fell in love. When she realized she was pregnant she left and came back here to stay with family. She gave birth to me and when i was old enough she took me back to be with my father."

The guard was skeptical, but he'd been a ninja long enough to see the difference between real and fake documents and so he didn't contest the story. He identified and recorded the weapons and gave the traveler his papers back, along with another document. "Take that into the building right there, " he pointed at an administration building, "and hand it to the man inside. He will give you your travel pass."

He nodded and gathered his weapons. He made his way to the building and acquired his pass. That accomplished, he made his way down the familiar streets toward the hotel district. He didn't have the money for and expensive place, but he had enough to find a comfortable room. He was lucky enough to find the last room within comfortable walking distance of the stadium. He had no bags to leave, so after a quick examination of his room he left to buy some new clothing. He went to a store he knew well; he had shopped there as a child. He was pleasantly surprised to see that they still carried the same jacket and pants that he had wore as a child, and was tempted to buy a new set, just to see the reaction on the villagers faces. No one had recognized him yet, but that was due mostly to the difference in size, the length of his hair, and the different expression he wore than to his clothing. He always had been a fan of orange.

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Bag in hand, he made his way back to the hotel to change. No point in looking like a complete outsider. He wanted to blend in as much as possible. As he was changing he decided on were he would visit that day along with what he wanted to accomplish. It was only his first day back home, so he settled on seeing the sights and familiarizing himself with the layout. Alot changes over ten years and he couldn't risk getting lost and wasting time when it mattered most.

He walked around the village for most of the day, visiting his old hangouts: top of the hokage mountain, the soccer fields in the park, the training grounds. He lingered for awhile at the ninja academy, the sight of some of his more horrific beatings. He was pleasantly surprised to see that the old swing that hung from the oak in the field in front was still there; he'd always thought it would have fallen down by then. He leaned against the fence behind the tree, remembering all the bad times, and even the occasional good one too. He was well enough hidden that he didn't even flinch when the final bell rang and the children spilled out. He waited for awhile, watching them play and slowly leave, all accompanied by parents, older siblings, or friends. The field had emptied and he was just about to leave when one of the teachers turned to where he was hidden and said, "I know someone is there. Show yourself."

He smiled, knowing full well he could disappear and never been found, but something told him that it was best to come out. He stepped out from behind the tree, still staying within the shadow. "It's been awhile, Iruka-sensei."

Iruka blinked, confused, "Do i know you?"

He moved into the sunshine and smiled a goofy grin. Iruka gasped, "It can't be!"

"It is," said the man.

"But you're dead!"

"Dead?" he chuckled. "Honestly, Iruka-sensei, did you really think a bunch of angry villagers was enough to kill me?"

"You can't be here! I saw the blood stains myself. There's no way anyone could have survived that kind of blood loss!"

"You forget, sensei, that I am no normal man." He moved closer, "You have seen my healing abilities firsthand."

"It's been over ten years. Why come back now?"

"Life is hard for a street rat. I spent years roaming this world, just trying to survive. When I was older and stronger, I worked odd jobs to support myself. When I had managed to save enough money, I bought weapons and retrained myself using the skills you taught me. I bought a katana and found someone to train me in its use. It's taken years before I felt confident enough to return, and here I am. I seek those who made my life a living hell for ten years. I have... unfinished business with them "

Iruka stared, "So what do you plan to do now?"

"Nothing. I came here to watch the Chunnin Exams. I am only carrying these weapons for my defense. You never know when an observant villager might recognize me, as you did. I do not wish to greet death again so soon." He smiled and turned away, "Do not worry, sensei. I have no quarrel with you, or this village as a whole." He dissapeared in a flash of light and smoke.

Iruka stared at the spot where his former pupil had stood, "Naruto..."

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A group of friends sat at the bar of Ichiraku's, talking about the upcoming Chunnin exams. Little else was being discussed in the village. They didn't even notice when they were joined by a tall stranger with sunny blonde hair. He sat down at the far corner, as far from the others as he could. He placed an order for his preffered pork ramen and unwillingly listened to one member of the group recount the tale of his first Chunnin exam. The rest sat bored; they'd heard the tale a hundred times, and most had been there anyway. The stranger sighed. He'd always wondered what it would have been like if he had made it to a Chunnin exam.

"...And then Gaara used his sand to crush my arm and leg..."

He tuned in at the mention of Gaara. He knew all about the man. He'd heard about the battle the had pitted Konoha's Rock Lee against the Suna's Gaara. He wished he had been there to see it. It was too bad that Gaara was now the Kazekage; after hearing of the battle he'd hope to one day meet him. He'd never met another like himself. He listened intently to Rock Lee's description of the battle, all the while paying closer attention to the other members of the group. Now that thought about it, he recognized the pink hair of Sakura Haruno. Just the sight of her dredged up painful memories. The blonde hair of Ino Yamanaka, along with her very loud and annoying voice, were recognized next. The trademark sigh and depressed expression of Shikamaru Nara was impossible to forget. Tenten had always worn her hair in those trademarked buns and they made her stand out like a sore thumb sometimes. He had just glanced at the last member of the group when he received a shocking surprise. The beautifully sad lavender eyes of Hinata Hyuuga were focused on him. He knew instantly that she had recognized him the moment he entered the shop. He turned away quickly and focused on his ramen. He didn't even stay for a second bowl. The last thing he needed was awkward stares that could lead to the others figuring out who he was. He paid and scurried out, deciding quickly that he should stay away from the places that the others frequented.

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It was late evening when he heard the knock at his door. He had retreated to the safety of his hotel room, not wanting to chance being recognized again. Twice was two times too many. He sighed, thinking it was just the manager, and opened the door. He was cursing himself a moment later. Hinata stood just beyond the door. "My god, it really is you," she said, amazement and joy in her voice.

"Hello Hinata," he said flatly.

"I can't believe it," she said quietly quietly. "We all thought you were dead." She tried to move past the door to hug him.

Naruto smiled faintly and backed away, "What is it that you want?"

She blinked, hurt and confused, "Want?"

He nodded, a bored expression on his face.

She cried out, "I had to be sure it was really you! I thought I was seeing things when you first walked into Ichiraku's earlier!" She paused, hoping he would say something. When that didn't happen she continued, "Please, tell me what happened to you. I want to know everything! Where you went. What you've done. How you survived all this time... Why you never came back..."

"What's there to tell? I got beaten to a pulp and left to die. How I survived is obvious; Kyuubi healed me. And honestly, I wish he would have just let me die that day. As for what I've been doing all these years; it really isn't important." He paused, bored, "I would ask how you have been these past ten years, but I really don't care all that much."

She looked as if he had just punched her, "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying," he growled, angry, "That after everything that's happened, I really couldn't care less about any of you. I only came back to watch the Chunnin exams. When they are finished I intend to leave for the final time."

"But..."

"No. No buts. Not this time." He moved to close the door, "I want nothing to do with any of you. Don't come here again Hinata." He slammed the door and locked it tight. Hinata stood, rooted to the stop. She stared at the door for many moments before the reality of what happened set in. Tears streaming drown her face, she ran away from the hotel.

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The next morning, Naruto left just after sunrise. He had alot of ground to cover, and wanted to cover it fast. He knew that soon enough word of his return would spread, and that it was only a matter of time before he was stopped and questioned. It was midmorning before he spotted his target. He followed said target around for most of the day, untill he found where he lived. It was in a part of the village that he was familiar with. It was also were many of his former classmate had settled, so the risk of being recognized was high. "_Great,"_ he sighed inwardly, "_Just what I needed. Too many people around here that know me... Now I wish I had told her to keep my being here quiet..." _He returned to his hotel room to wait out the night and plan. He completely ignored the note that had been slipped under his door.

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"_There's someone behind you,"_ barked Akamaru as he and Kiba took a morning walk. "I know," muttered Kiba. "He's been there awhile." He continued pretending that he hadn't noticed his tail. "_Is it just me, or does he smell familiar?"_ Kiba sniffed, "You're right. He does smell familiar." Kiba concentrated, trying to remember where he'd smelled this person before. "_Want me to grab him?"_ Kiba shook his head slightly, just enough for Akamaru to see. He changed direction and rounded a corner. He pushed himself up against the wall and waited for the man to follow him. He grabbed the sleeve of the man's jacket and held him firm, growling, "Why are you following me!?"

Naruto glared and growled back, "What, don't recognize me Kiba? I would have thought you'd noticed my smell already."

Kiba stared, dumbfounded. "You can't be..."

"What? Hinata didn't tell everyone yet?"

"I...but how... you're..."

"Dead? Yeah, that's everyone keeps telling me. How could you believe I was dead?"

"I was there! I saw you! You weren't moving! You weren't even breathing!"

"You're wrong, I was breathing; you just couldn't tell from that distance. And anyway, I'd been beaten almost that bad before and I'd always recovered." He smiled bitterly, "See, that's the thing about being the Kyuubi's container, I'm damn hard to kill."

Kiba stared blankly, unnerved, "I always wondered...but no one ever told me." He shivered, "I never knew about that untill after..." There was a slight pause, then, "When they took me to the hospital I saw Iruka. I told him what happened, but by the time he got there you were already gone. We looked for days, but we never found you. Should have guessed you were still alive..." he finished quietly, guiltily.

"Well, you sure as hell didn't look very hard. I spent over a week sitting under an oak not a hundred yards from the tree line."

"God, I'm sorry Naruto. I should have gone with him. All that blood... I would have found you in a second."

"Considering the state they dragged you off in, I very much doubt you would have gone to find me."

"I was scared! Damn it Naruto, i was just a kid! How was I supposed to act! You take me out into the forest and transform into some kind of chakra-fox and expect me not to freak out!?"

"I tried to explain! I tried to tell you what was going on! You just ran faster!" His voice was dripping with anger, "All you had to do was stop for a few moments and I could have explained everything! You never had to run away like that! And then you just sat there while they beat me to within an inch of my life! My God Kiba! You were supposed to be my best friend! How the hell could you let them do that to me!!!"

Kiba shook, scared by the anger and rage Naruto was exuding.

Naruto took a deep breath. The last thing he needed was to get so angry that he lost control and transformed.

"Why did you come back?" squeaked Kiba.

"You," came the flat reply.

"Me?"

"Yes, you. Who else would make me come back to this hell hole?"

He swallowed heavily, "Why me? You out looking for revenge?"

"Who said anything about revenge? And calm down before you do something stupid." He reached into the pouch on his leg and pulled out a small drawstring bag. "I came to return this." He tossed it to Kiba and turned to leave. "I'll be in town for a few more days. I'd suggest you tell everyone else not to contact me. I will not be held responsible for my actions if they disturb me. I only spared Hinata out of compassion. She was the only other one that was ever kind to me in any way." His face hardened, "Know this: I am not the same Naruto you knew then, and honestly I doubt that I ever could be again." He turned and walked away.

Kiba stood, frozen in shock. He watched the retreating form untill it had dissapeared from sight, then looked down at the bag he held in his hands. Akamaru stopped shaking long enough to say, "_I've never been that scared in my life!"_ Kiba nodded and picked him up, "Come on. When need to find everyone else."

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"You're joking, right?"

"No Sakura. I saw him. I talked to him. He's really alive. And he's pissed off at all of us. I honestly thought he was going to kill me!"

"Naruto wouldn't want to kill you. You were his best friend!"

"He's changed Sakura. This new Naruto if freaking scary." He turned to look at everyone, "He told me to warn you all not to come near him."

"He told me that same thing," said Hinata. "I went to see him at the hotel he's staying at." She shuddered. "I'd never seen him like that. His eye's were cold, emotionless. I could hear the barely contained anger in his voice."

"You went to see him and didn't tell us?"

"Naruto mentioned that. He sounded amazed that she hadn't us."

They all stared at Hinata.

"I'm sorry. I was too shocked to say anything."

Tenten turned back to Kiba, "So what did he want with you?"

"To give me this," he held up the bag. "I haven't even looked inside, so I have no clue what it is."

"Well then look," said Sakura, curious.

Kiba pulled opened the bag and turned it over onto his palm. He gasped in surprise and shock at what had fallen out. Sitting on his palm was a small necklace, one half of a pair. Kiba reached to his own neck and grabbed the other half. "He kept it... For all these years, he really kept it..." He sniffed, a single tear trailing down his face. "I can't believe it."

"Isn't that..?" began Tenten.

Kiba nodded.

"What is it?" asked Sakura, confused.

"It's a neckless... one half of a pair... the kind you only give to a best friend," whispered Tenten, thinking of the one she had given to Lee as a child.

"No wonder he kept it for so long," muttered Lee, also thinking about the necklace. "It was a reminder of his closest friend."

"And to give it back like that is proof that he really meant what he said..." Said Kiba, on the verge of tears.

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Naruto spent the rest of the week in his hotel room. He left only to eat and stretch his legs. He was pleased that no one tried to contact him again, and in turn ignored anyone he recognized on the streets. He attended the Chunnin exam finals, just as he planned, and wasn't impressed. There was none of the excitement of previous Chunnin exams. He had booked his hotel room for a week beyond the exams, so as to avoid the massive amount of people clogging the roads as they left. He spent several days wondering the various markets, examining the weaponry and other ninja supplies. He may not be an actual ninja, but he was more than able to act like one and refused to go anywhere without a fully stocked kit. He'd spent far too long being beaten because he wasn't able to defend himself. His purchases made, and bored with sitting in his room all day, he once again wondered the village. It was pleasant in a way, walking the village without so much as a glance. He'd never been able to do so when he had lived here. But even this grew boring after a short time. The final day of his stay he decided to spend sitting in on top of the Hokage mountain, just as he'd done many times before. He enjoyed the view of the village, and it was always peaceful up there. He went very early so he could watch the sunrise. He sat there, just watching, feeling at peace with the world for the first time in over ten years. He sat and just watched, never moving, untill the sun began to set. "I know you are there," he sighed, angry that his peace had been disturbed. "Come out, all of you."

"I knew we'd find you here," said Kiba, standing at he front of the group.

"You did always like coming here," nodded Iruka.

"What do you want?" sighed Naruto, not looking at them.

"We had to talk to you," replied Tenten.

"I've said all there is to say."

"Come on Naruto, you can't shut us out that easily."

"Wanna bet?"

Kiba raised a hand, silencing them. He moved forward untill he stood next to the sitting boy. "I don't want this back," he said as he placed the bag with the neckless in front of Naruto. "No matter what you think of me, I will always think of you as my best friend." He moved back to the rest of the group.

Naruto laughed; a hollow, sad sound. "Do you honestly want to know how I feel about you?" He turned and faced them. "I think you're all a bunch of treacherous liars who never cared about me. If any off you had you would have done something to help me. You never would have left me to those dogs!" He sighed bitterly, "I did you a favor when I left."

"That is not true, Naruto. Your leaving was never what we wanted."

"Shut up Lee. I don't want to hear the excuses! I'm so sick of it! It's never enough with you people! First you leave me there to die! Now you have to come and lie to me about it!" His anger finally boiled over, "Admit it! You all where happy I was gone!"

"No we weren't!!!" screamed Kiba. "Damn it Naruto, we're the ones that looked for you! We fought for you! We made sure those jerks were punished!" He was crying by this point. "When we couldn't find your body... and they... they... pronounced you dead..."

"We held a memorial for you," finished Tenten. "Even if everyone else thought it stupid... but we didn't..."

"We knew you better than anyone. We knew you for who you were, not what everyone thought. We held the memorial to give you some semblance of dignity," Iruka choked.

"If we had known..."

"Yeah well, too bad. You left me for dead, and that's all I ever knew. It doesn't matter anymore," he spat. "I gave up on this pathetic place along time ago. Nothing's going to change that. Like I said before: The Naruto you knew died long ago. It's time for you to face that reality." He started to walk away.

"NO!" cried Kiba. "I won't let you go! I'm not going to let you make the same mistake I made!" He lunged and grabbed Naruto by the wrist.

"Let go of me Kiba," growled Naruto.

"I won't! I lost you once! I refuse lose you again!"

"How can you lose what was always lost?" said Naruto as he pried Kiba off him.

"Naruto, please, don't..." begged Tenten.

"It's too late to stop me." He jerked free of Kiba's grip.

"I won't give up!" he yelled as he lunged again. He grabbed Naruto's legs and held on for all he was worth. "I'm not letting you leave again! Not like this!"

"I won't stay here Kiba! I refuse to go back to that life! I will not be the villagers' plaything anymore! I will not allow them to place me under ANBU guard! Let go of me before I'm forced to hurt you!"

"I do not think that will be necessary," said a calm voice from behind all of them. The entire group turned and stared at the Hokage, who was standing serenely, watching them. "Kiba, release Naruto's leg." Kiba blinked and obeyed. Sarutobi looked up at Naruto, "Naruto Uzumaki, I was wondering when you would return."

Naruto blinked, confused, "_When_? How did you know I was alive?"

"Unlike the majority of the village, I was not foolish enough to underestimate your will to live, nor you healing abilities. As it is, I _have_ had ANBU teams tracking you from afar since the day you left our territory."

"You've been following me all this time? For real?"

He nodded, "That is correct." He paused for a moment, giving Naruto time to let this new information sink in.

"So basically you decided that I didn't have to be dragged back here as long as I behaved and didn't realize I was being tracked?"

"Essentially. But I had another reason for the ANBU guard."

"And that was?"

"To make sure no one tried to come after you when they realized you weren't dead." He paused, "I'm not above admitting there was a slightly more personal reason. You see, for many years I had watched you as you grew and your skills developed. I must say, for one who's chakra had been seal in the manner that yours was, you made remarkable progress. In fact, if not for the after affects of the Kyuubi sealing, you would most likely have progressed much faster than anyone in your year." Another slight pause, "You remember the man that took you in as an apprentice swordsman?"

He nodded, "Of course I do."

"Did you never realize that he was much to skillful to be a run-of-the-mill traveling swordsman?"

"I guess?"

"That is because he is one of my ANBU, and one of the most decorated sword masters this village has seen in over a hundred years. I sent him there to find you. I wanted him to evaluate your skills, and to train you in the new one that would be needed upon your return to the village. You see, I had him secretly train you in the advanced ninja arts that you had missed out on when you left."

"He never taught me any jutsu. He claimed that he couldn't you any."

"He lied, a useful skill in the ANBU Black-ops. As it stands, you have finished all the training required to become at least a Gennin of this village. I have every reason to believe that you could easily become a Chunnin in very little time."

Naruto just stared.

"And so, I have come to you today with an offer. I ask that you return to this village permanently, and that you assume the position that was denied to you. I wish you to become a ninja in this village's service. This is your home, Naruto. Do not turn your back on it."

His jaw dropped, "Return to the village? Have you gone mental in your old age? I never want to set foot in this place again! After the way I was treated who would want to come back!?"

"Naruto, I understand your fear and anger. They are justifiable emotions after the atrocities that were committed against you. Unfortunately, now that you know of the ANBU following you, I must insist that you at least stay here a few more days. Just so that you have time to think over my offer, and maybe to become acquainted with you old friends."

"You're refusing to let me leave unless I say yes, aren't you?"

"No, I just wish for you to take the necessary time to think about my offer."

"Let me guess, if I try and leave the village you'll have me arrested?."

"Why do you insist of this notion that you are a prisoner?"

"Listen old man, I lived here long enough to know how things work. Anyone who doesn't do what they are told is punished. Those who disobey a direct orders are tortured. Don't try and make this out to be anything other than what it is."

"Naruto, it was only you that was treated like that. In actuality, I will do nothing more than continue the ANBU guard if you try and leave."

"Yeah...right... Let's just get this over with. Call your dog's if you want. I have no problem taking them on my way out."

"You have completely misunderstood my intentions. Naruto, all I ask is time. Think over my offer. If you have any loyalty left, allow me just five days of your time."

He sighed. "Fine. I'll give you your five days. But that's it. Tell ANBU to leave me alone. If I see one, then I'm gone. And this time I won't give them a chance to follow me."

"Fair enough. I shall await your answer."

"I bet you will," he mumbled as he turned away. Sarutobi nodded at the others and dissapeared.

"Naruto..." began Kiba.

"I said no, Kiba. I'm not in the mood for this. I said I would give him five days, but that doesn't mean I want to socialize." And in a puff of smoke he was gone.

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It had been over eighteen hours since Naruto had dissapeared from the top of the Hokage mountain. No one had heard a peep from him since. They would have known if he'd run, but so far nothing. It was nothing like it had been the last time. The last time they were waiting to find a body, if anything. Now they knew he was alive and out there somewhere, and that made it made it so much worse. Kiba's seriously depressed mood wasn't helping either. He was continually pacing, glaring occasionally at the clock. The had posted a guard around him to prevent him from splitting and hunting Naruto down. And for moral support. Which he needed badly, even if he wouldn't admit it.

"Where'd he disappear to?" asked Tenten as she watched Kiba pace the length of his room.

"I do not have a clue," sighed Lee. "And I truly wish I did. I would very much like to knock some sense into him right now."

Hinata and Neji came in at about noon. It was their turn to stay with him. They'd all decided that it wasn't going to be safe to leave Kiba alone, or else he would probably go and do something really stupid. Lee and Tenten got up to go and get some lunch for everyone.

"Tenten," asked Lee as they sat Ichiraku's, waiting for their lunch. "Why is it that Kiba is so upset over Naruto's return? He and Naruto were best friends then; that much I understand, but is not Kiba's reaction a tad extreme?"

"He's been blaming himself for the entire incident for all these years. He's convinced himself that he was the cause of Naruto's death. Seeing Naruto here, alive and well, must be a major shock. To Kiba it must seem like Naruto's come back from the dead." She paused to think. "His conscious must have been eating him alive for all theses years. And anyway, they were more than just best friends. They were more like brothers. Naruto never had any siblings, and Kiba only has a sister so after awhile they got so close that they came to see each other like the brothers that they'd always wanted."

"What I truly do not understand is why Kiba would think that he was the cause of what transpired that day."

"That's because you don't know the entire story. No one does for that matter. Well, no one but the two of them anyway. And good luck getting it from Kiba, he completely shuts down anytime you even mention it."

"And Naruto is an even less likely conduit of information because he wants nothing to do with any of us," sighed Lee.

"Exactly."

"I really wish I knew what happened."

"Why don't you try asking," said Naruto as he ducked under the lip of the roof and sat down.

"Naruto!"

"Tenten. Lee." He ordered with a sigh.

"So you're at least speaking to us now?"

"I'd rather not, but seeing as I really would like some ramen today, and you are both here, I might as well."

"You make it sound like you'll die if you do," said Tenten.

"Can't kill what doesn't live," he replied philosophically.

"What the hell does that mean?"

"You're supposed to be one of the smart ones Tenten; figure it out."

"Cut it out with the cryptic bullshit, Naruto. Just tell me."

"Just because someone is walking, talking, and has a pulse doesn't mean that he is alive. You can be biologically alive and still be dead inside."

"Geeze, emo much?"

"Truth."

"So what you are trying to say is that you consider yourself dead inside?"

"That's what I said, isn't it?"

"Soulless zombie," muttered Tenten, shaking her head.

"Zombies are the undead," retorted Naruto. "Last time I checked, a zombie couldn't really talk, or breath, or bleed, or register a pulse." He sighed, "And I really was having a relatively decent day."

"God Naruto, you could at least like you aren't trying to be a jerk."

"I don't try to act like anything. This is who I am. Deal with it." He focused on his food, tuning them out.

"Come on Lee," said Tenten as she picked up the other's orders, "Let's leave Naruto to his lunch."

Lee sighed and followed her.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

"God, he such a jerk now!" exclaimed Tenten as she set the food down on the table. She handed out everyone's orders. "I mean, all I did was try to have a pleasant, if not forced, conversation with him, but he spent the whole time acting cryptic and dark before finally reaching into his insult bag."

"What did you expect?" said Neji flatly. "He has stated several time already that he wishes to be left alone. He does not want our company."

"Still, he could have been less of a jerk about it..." she grumbled.

"Lay off him," sighed Kiba quietly. He'd stopped pacing and was now standing in front of the window staring out over the village.

"Hey, if he's going to be an ass to me, then I'll rip him to pieces"

"Tenten, please. Just be nice. At least while I'm around anyway."

She frowned but nodded.

They sat in a semi-awkward silence as they ate.

Lee was the first to finish. "Kiba, come sit down. You must be exhausted"

Kiba ignored him.

"Kiba?"

"I don't want to sit down Lee."

More awkward silence.

"I know what you're going to ask," he said, stopping Lee with his mouth open. "And I'm not going to talk about."

"But..."

"I said no damn it!" he yelled. "I refuse to even think about it! There's nothing more to tell! You know everything that's important already!"

"Honestly Kiba, I would have thought that they at least deserved to know the truth," came a voice from the door. Four heads snapped around and stared at the source of the voice. Kiba spun around so fast that he nearly fell over. Leaning casually against the door frame was Naruto.

"You...you're..."

"I've been thinking about what Tenten and Lee where saying a little while ago. What is it with and the secret keeping?" He stood up straight and walked over to a table that was empty. He hopped up and sat down. "Anyway, I guess that since I'm here I might as well tell you guys what really happened. You deserve that much anyway." He smiled as Kiba began moving toward him, "One of you get Kiba to sit down before he falls down."

Lee and Neji wrestled a struggling Kiba into a chair.

"So anyway, before I tell you guys what happened, I need to know what you already know."

"Well," began Tenten, "All they ever told us was that there had been some kind of incident; Kiba's ankle had been injured; you'd been hurt badly; and that they were taking some villagers in for questioning."

"Essentially the barest of information."

"Yeah."

Naruto nodded, thinking. "Well, in that case, I'm going to have to start my story earlier than I had originally planned." He sighed and shifted into a more comfortable position. "It all started they night before. I had been out training by myself the entire day, and had learned what I thought was a cool new trick. I called Kiba when I got home and told him to meet me in the usually place and that I had something to show him. That much is straightforward. It's not untill the next morning that things get... weird." He paused for a second, gathering his thoughts. "We'd decided to meet up there at about 9 am. I was waiting for him when he showed up. He asked me what this new trick was. I told him it was a new kind of transformation jutsu. Honestly, I was so young and naïve then that I had no idea it was anything else." Another pause to gather his thoughts. "Kiba stared asking me all about it and I told him what I could. Finally, he asked for me to show him. Here's where the problems start..."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Flashback to ten years before...

_"That sounds so awesome!"_ exclaimed the much younger Kiba. _"I wanna see your new transformation! Can you teach me how to do it after?"_

_"I don't know,"_ shrugged younger Naruto. _"I can try. I'm not even sure really how I can do it. It's really weird."_

_"Oh,"_ said Kiba, not letting that stand in his way. _"Well then just show it to me."_

_"Okay,"_ replied Naruto. _"Go stand by the tree? I need alot of room to do this in."_

Kiba nodded and dashed to the tree.

Naruto moved to the center of the clearing. He closed his eyes and focused. He didn't know exactly how he'd managed to do the transformation the first time, so he'd been reenacting everything he'd done before. He focused all the chakra he could call toward his stomache and pushed his hands together. He started growling, first a soft and quiet sound; then intensifying into a near roar. As the growl increased, so too did the feeling of anger and sadness he'd always felt. Why this was, he didn't understand, but it seemed to be vital in beginning the transformation. Just when he felt as though he would collapse from the strain of maintaining the state, he felt the surge of power. This was nothing like his normal chakra. It felt...weird... almost like it had emotions of it's own. That was impossible of course, but that didn't stop the feeling. Naruto focused harder, knowing the worst was yet to come. He fought the haze that was slowly creeping into his brain and instead focused on an image that had appeared in his head the first time he'd transformed this way. He focused on every detail he could. He could feel the first changed happening. His canines, which had always been longer than most, were lengthening further. His hands and feet were changing, becoming longer, with digits more like claws then fingers and toes. His face felt like it was trying to push out, almost like he was growling a muzzle. His eye burned, and he knew that they were changing too, becoming red instead of their usual blue. His ear moved back on his skull and took on an almost pointed appearance. That was the last of the straightforward changes. Now he could feel it. His chakra was wrapping around his body, almost like a shield. But is wasn't formless. It began taking on the appearance of a fox, with long pointed ears and a single, long tail. Just as the last of the changes finished, he opened his eyes. It was disorienting at first. Everything looked different. The world was clearer, more detailed, but the colors were different, and there were more of them. He was assaulted with a myriad of new sounds and smells. It took him a moment to recover. He turned to were Kiba was and smiled, _"So? What do you think?"_

Kiba was on the ground, cowering_. "What the hell are you!?!"_ he screamed.

_"Kiba? What's wrong?" _said Naruto as he moved closer to the boy, concerned.

_"Stay away from me!"_ he shouted and pushed himself up against the roots of the old oak.

Naruto was completely confused_. "What is it Kiba? What are you freaking out about?"_

Kiba reached to his kunai holster and pulled three out_. "Stay back!"_

Naruto froze. "_Kiba???"_

Kiba, never taking his eyes off the transformed Naruto, stumbled backwards over the tree's roots, hovering behind it like a shield

Naruto took a step forward and Kiba threw the kunai at him. Naruto raised an arm in defense. They bounced harmlessly off the swirling chakra. _"What the hell did you do that for!?"_

_"You... you're not... YOU'RE NOT HUMAN!!!"_ he shouted and bolted.

Naruto stood, frozen, unbelieving. He released the transformation and chased after Kiba. _"Kiba! Wait up! See! I'm back to normal!"_

_"Stay away from me!"_

_"Slow down! Let me explain!"_

_"NO!!! Leave me alone!"_

_"Kiba! Please! Just wait up!"_

Kiba sped up and threw more kunai at him.

Naruto dodged and sped up too. _"Come on Kiba!"_

_"Go away! Stop following me!"_

_"Not untill you stop and tell me whats wrong!"_

_"You're a monster!!!"_

Naruto nearly tripped over an exposed tree root. _"Monster..." _he whispered as he regained his balance and continued the chase.

Kiba ran straight to the village and turned onto one of the streets. He was going to fast to avoid a cart that was taking up most of the street. He crashed headlong into it and lay slightly dazed in the wreckage. The adults that were there ran to his aide. Naruto finally caught up, but hung back, afraid. He watched them as they help Kiba. Then one noticed him. "_YOU!"_ he yelled and ran to were he stood. The man grabbed him violently by the shoulders and screamed, "_You did this, didn't you!?!"_ Naruto stood there, scared speechless. "_It was you, wasn't it!?!"_ The man shook him, hard. "_Answer me, brat!"_ Naruto flinched, "I... it wasn't..._I didn't..." _The man glared,"_So you think it's fun to hurt the normal kids? You having fun scaring them now?"_ Naruto shook his head, to afraid to speak. "_So then explain what happened here!"_ Naruto couldn't say anything. "_I knew it, it was you!"_ He slapped Naruto so hard that he flew to the ground. The adults ran to surround him and prevent him from escaping. "_You think you're so superior, eh? You think we'll just let you get away with messing with the other kids?"_ Naruto shook his head and coughed out a weak "_no."_ The man kicked him hard in the gut. Naruto screamed in pain, curling up into the fetal position The man kicked him again, harder. The sound of Naruto's ribs cracking was sickeningly audible. The next kick spun Naruto around so that he could see Kiba. "_Please,"_ he wheezed, blood tricking out of his mouth. "_Tell them... Kiba..."_ The man kicked him again, "_Don't you dare talk to that boy!"_ He used his foot to flip Naruto over on his back. "_Creatures like you don't deserve sympathy!"_ he spat as he stomped on Naruto's nose. Blood spurted and Naruto screamed again. The man laughed. He actually laughed. He was enjoying this. "_You think that was bad, eh? Well, how do you like this!"_ He shovel kicked Naruto into the air and punched him in the kidneys. You could see were his ribs had been crushed inward, hear the gurgling of the blood in his lungs when he breathed. And through the entire beating, Kiba just sat there, immobile. By then the others had joined in, kicking him and beating him with scraps of wood from the broken cart or anything they had on hand. One slammed a shovel into Naruto's head so hard that his skull was cracked. Finally, they had their fill of torturing the boy and left him to bleed.

Naruto lay there, unmoving, barely breathing. He was bruised, laying in a pool of his own blood and was barely conscious The adults went to Kiba and carried him away, heading toward the hospital. His body was on fire, and he was just barely able to see past the red haze clouding his vision. Naruto tried moving. His right arm was broken, but it at least moved. His left arm was a bloody mess. He could see the bones sticking out in several places, and the muscles and tendons of his elbow lay flayed out for all to see. His right hip was dislocated, and his entire left leg was crushed, hip to toes. He would have been lucky to have one non-broken rib. His lungs had been punctured, and his right kidney had definately been turned into ground meat. His liver was lacerated and gushing blood. There were horribly deep gashes along both arms and legs, on his stomache, and his back had been essentially pealed away. Nearly all the skin was gone, and what little was left was either dead or dieing. His skull was cracking in three places, and shards of bone from his nose were embedded in his sinus cavity. It was a miracle that he hadn't already drowned in his own body fluid, or died from massive hemorrhaging. It took every ounce of remaining strength and determination to make his body move. He dragged himself, excruciatingly slowly, away from the scene of the beating. The only thought in his mind was to reach the forest. The forest meant safety. The forest was the only place he could go and not be beaten further. He dragged himself as far as he could, finally settling for a spot just a hundred feet from the tree line. The last thought he had was, "_At least I can die in peace..."_

End flashback

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

"After that every thing's a blur. I remember feeling rain once, and feeling something crawling on me, but that's it. It's not untill almost a week later that I woke up and realized that I was still alive." He looked around at everyone, noting their expressions.

Lee sat, looking horrified, and like he was going to lose his lunch.

Neji's face held no emotion, but Naruto knew the Hyuuga well enough to know it wouldn't.

Hinata was sobbing and rocking slightly, arms wrapped around herself.

Tenten stared in shock, slightly green.

Kiba had curled up into a ball, knees pulled up to his chest, tears streaming down his face, silent sobs racking his body.

"Now do you see why I don't want to stay here anymore?"

No one answered.

He slid off the table and stretched. He yawned and rubbed a stiff shoulder.

Lee swallowed heavily, "I never knew. We never knew. That must have been a horrible experience for you."

"Horrible?" He laughed bitterly, "Lee, horrible doesn't even begin to describe it."

Kiba let out one massive sob and broke down.

Naruto stood, uncaring. Then, it was like something snapped, and he'd moved over to Kiba, knelt next to the chair, and wrapped his arms around him. "Shhhhh... Don't cry, Kiba."

Everyone stared. That was that last thing they expected.

"I'm s-sorry... sob ...I'm s-so s-sorry Naruto..."

"It's okay Kiba," he said soothingly. "It's alright. Let it all out."

"I never meant.. sob ... I didn't want them... sob ...I should have... sob... All my fault..."

"There was nothing you could do. They would have just hurt me worse if you'd done anything."

Kiba sobbed louder than ever and flung his arm around Naruto. Naruto pulled him close and let him cry on his shoulder. "That's better...just let it out... you'll feel better when you do..." Kiba, finally given a chance to rid himself of ten years worth of pent up emotion, balled his eyes out. He poured all his guilt, sadness, and self-directed anger into the tears that flowed unbidden from his rapidly swelling eyes.

The other's continued staring, completely amazed at this change in Naruto's behavior.

"We both needed this," whispered Naruto. "We've needed this for along time."

Kiba nodded, still sobbing hysterically. "I wish... sob... I could go back... sob... and change things... sob... I wish..."

"Stop that," said Naruto. "What's done is done. Wishing you could change that past never solves anything. You have to accept what's happened and move on."

"But..."

"No buts. Stop blaming yourself. I didn't mean what I said before. I never blamed you for what happened to me."

Kiba pushed himself back so that he could look Naruto in the eyes, "You... hiccup...didn't?"

"Of course not. That anger was misplaced. It welled up so fast that I couldn't control it. That's why I had never meant to contact you. I thought something like that might happen. I'm the one that should be sorry right now." He smiled, "I lied when I said I didn't still think of you as a friend. You're still the best friend I've ever had, and ever will have."

"Oh god," Kiba hugged Naruto so tight that he nearly re-broke the poor guy's ribs. "Thank you Naruto."

"Okay Kiba, Naruto needs to breathe," he choked.

Kiba loosened his death grip but didn't let go. "So then you'll stay?"

"Don't get ahead of yourself. I never said that." He sighed, "Konoha isn't my home anymore, and you know it. And anyway, do you really think they'd let me come back?"

"It doesn't matter what they think! You belong here!"

"That won't stop them from forming lynch mobs and hunting me," he sighed.

"We'll protect you! I'll fight the entire village myself if it will keep you here!"

"Kiba..."

"No! I said I wouldn't let you leave again and I meant it! What do I have to do to convince you to stay!?"

"It's not a matter of what you, or any of you can do."

"Then what is it!"

"I'll never be safe here."

"Yes you will!"

"How can I be!?" he demanded, pushing Kiba away. "How can I ever be safe in a village that wants me dead!? Those idiots will never see me as anything more than the Kyuubi-container. A monster. A threat. Something that needs to be destroyed!" He stood up and stared pacing the room. "As long as I'm here people will fear and hate me. Honestly, I can deal with that. It's the thought of them turning on you guys and attacking you for being close to me that I can't stand."

"They wouldn't.." started Tenten.

"Yes they would!" He screamed, cutting her off. "They'd go after you to hurt me! It's a tactic as old as time! How do you hurt someone that can't be hurt? You go after his loved ones!"

"Things change..." offered Hinata.

"Not when it comes to people like me!"

"Yes they do!" countered Kiba. "Look at Gaara! He's just like you and now he's the Kazekage!"

"That's different!"

"How is it different?! You had nearly identical childhoods. The only difference was that you had friends. You had us..."

"Different people, different circumstances."

"Just stop it! You keep trying to convince us that you can't come back, but there's no reason! Nothing's different than it was before accept that you're older and stronger! No one is going to attack you now! You're not that little kid that they could easily push around! You can fight back now!"

"It doesn't matter! None of it matters! I can't fight back! If I do it only makes it worse later! You know that!"

"BOTH OF YOU STOP IT!!!" screamed Tenten. "Be quiet and just listen for once!"

Naruto choked on his retort and Kiba clamped his mouth shut.

"I'm so god damn sick of watching you fight! All you've done is argue and bitch about the past!" She glared at Naruto, who was about to say something. He thought better of it and kept quiet. "Kiba, you have to stop pushing him. This is his decision. I know you mean well, but this is the absolutely wrong way to help." She cut across Naruto's nearly uttered words with a hand. "And you, mister 'I'm-a-pissed-off-bastard-and-want-everyone-to-feel-horrible'; you need to stop biting everyone's head off every five minutes. You know we're only trying to help. Stop acting like a fucking child and grow up!"

"Um Tenten...look behind you..."

She turned and blushed dark red. Iruka was standing in the doorway, looking completely unaffected by the colorfulness of Tenten's vocabulary. "'I'm-a-pissed-off-bastard-and-want-everyone-to-feel-horrible'? That's a new one."

"I um..."

"Don't worry about it. I probably would have come up with something similar myself." He strolled over to Naruto, "Everyone's looking for you. Someone told the ANBU that you were about to skip town. They've been out looking for you for over an hour. How long have you been here?"

"About thirty minutes; give or take."

"Good. If you really had skipped town, I highly doubt the guy's they sent after you would have dragged you back alive."

"Great...I knew it was too good to be true. He really didn't have any intention of letting me leave..."

"That's not true Naruto. I ran into Genma about a minute after I heard about the ANBU tip and he was freaking out about it. Seems that the ANBU captain forgot to clear his squad's activation with Lord Hokage." He sighed, "And here I was thinking they'd moved past this."

Naruto gave them a look that plainly said, "_I told you so!"_ He shrugged and said instead, "So what now? If the ANBU are acting on their own, then I'm sure as hell not safe here anymore. It might be best for me to _actually_ split town."

"Oh no you don't. Don't go giving them a reason to drag you back. If you keep your nose down for a little longer, Lord Hokage will fix everything."

"Oh haha. That's what you told me the last time this happened. Didn't turn out as well as you hoped now did it?"

"Come on Naruto. You know this is different. He said it himself, you're ranked practically at the Chunnin level. That limits the number of ninja and civilians that would try and take you on. And I'm willing to bet that after all this time you've come up with some stuff none of us have ever seen. I wouldn't be surprised that they'd change your rank to Jounin a week after you make Chunnin."

"Like I care about all that stuff now?"

"I think you do." He grabbed Naruto's shoulders. "Your greatest dream, the one thing that kept you going for all those years was the desire to become Hokage. I'm willing to bet that you haven't given up on that dream yet."

Naruto shook him off, "Well then you are wrong. I knew from the moment I stepped outside the village territory all those years ago that my dream was finished. I can never become the Hokage now."

"Yes you can! Damn it Naruto! Why are you so convinced that there's nothing here for you!? Yes, they've treated you horribly; ostracized you; beaten and tortured you." He smiled a bitter smile, "I understand how you feel better than anyone else ever could. And I also understand how the rest of the village feels. Remember Naruto, Kyuubi killed my parents. I should hate and despise you more than anyone." He sat down. "For years after the Kyuubi attack I was bitter and angry. I hated the demon for taking my family. I wanted nothing more to find him and make him pay for what he'd done." He paused, reflecting. "It wasn't untill I met you for the first time that I began to doubt those feelings. When they first told me that you'd enrolled in the pre-academy program, I nearly lost it. I swore up and down that I wouldn't teach you. I was half way to the administration building with my resignation letter when Lord Hokage stopped me. He asked me what I was doing. When I told he he was silent for several minutes. Then he said something that I'll never forget. He said, '_Iruka, blaming the sins of a demon on a child is not the answer. Yes, Naruto is the demon's container, but if not for him the village most likely would have been destroyed. Do not hate him for what he could not control. Get to know the boy first. You may find that he is very different from what you expected._'" Naruto just stood there and shrugged. "And do you know what? He was right. You were nothing like I expected. When I first saw you sitting by yourself on the swing I felt something. Something I never thought I could feel for someone like you. And do you know what that was?" No response. "Compassion. Understanding. Empathy." He smiled, "You and I are more a like than you know. Both orphans, both raised alone. I guess I was the lucky one. I at least got to meet my parents, even spend time with them. You never had that." He paused, "You've never thought of yourself as having a family, but I'd like to think that I was some kind of a father to you. Even if I didn't do the best job, I hope I at least gave you that."

Naruto stood there for a moment before doing anything. Though his face remained emotionless, his eyes betrayed the inner conflict. His mind was waging a war with itself. For several long moments the battle raged. Then finally he spoke, "You did a better job than I ever gave you credit for." Iruka looked at him, unbelieving. He smiled and moved forward. He wiped the tear that was working its way down Naruto's cheek away and pulled him into the warmest hug Naruto had ever had. "I'm sorry Iruka-sensei. I'm so sorry for the thing's I said to you."

"Shhhhh. I know. I know. It's okay. I understand completely," he consoled. "And don't worry about it. We'll get through this. And this time, I'm going to be there every step of the way."

Naruto nodded into his sensei's shoulder. Iruka held him tight untill the tears subsided, and then longer. He'd never felt like this before. "Sothis is what it feels like to be comforted by your father...it's nice..."

Iruka grinned, "It is nice. I just wish I could have shown you sooner."

Naruto laughed, "Me too. Would have saved me lot of emotional energy over the years."

Iruka released him from the hug, but continued holding onto the blonde's shoulders. "Well, I intent on making up for all the lost time. But I can only do that if you stay in the village."

Naruto smiled, and it wasn't a happy one. "I'm still not sure if it's best for me too, but if only to make you happy, then I'll stay a little longer."

"And that's all I want."

Behind them Kiba, Tenten, Lee, Hinata, and even the usually stoic Neji were smiling.

"See, I told you that you have a family," said Kiba, voice still a little shaky from all the crying he'd done. "You just never realized it."

"I guess you're right, _brother._"

"And that," he smiled as he bear-hugged Naruto for the second time that day, "Is something I've wanted to hear you say for along time."

"And I wish I had said it sooner." He turned to Hinata after Kiba had released him. "I'm sorry for what I said to you that day Hinata."

"That's alright. I never should have just shown up out of the blue like that."

"Don't be sorry. You're not that one that's been acting like an ass to his friends for a week."

"You may have been an ass," grinned Tenten, "But we're used to it. You always act like a jerk when you're angry."

"Oh haha. You're no better ya hypocrite."

"Okay children," said Iruka before someone said something that would ruin the moment. "I think that Naruto and I should head on over to the Hokage's office. The faster we tell him the good news, the faster we can get Naruto settled in.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I think I'm going to take you up on that offer to stay," said Naruto. "I'll decide weather or not it'll be a permanent thing after I have time to see how the village will react. But I must insist on one thing."

"And that is?"

"Keep a better leash on your ANBU. I heard about the incident earlier today."

"Yes. An unfortunate, and very rare, occurrence. I assure you, it will not happen again."

"Whatever you say old man."

Sarutobi opened a drawer in his desk. He withdrew a small box. "You will be needing this." He handed it to Naruto, who opened it and smiled. It was a leaf village ninja's headband. "I shall expect you to report for duty first thing Monday morning."

"Monday?" He glanced at the calender on the wall. "But that's a week from now."

"Yes, but I believe that you and your friends deserve a bit of a vacation. As of this afternoon, you are all on paid leave. I suggest you spend the time catching up and enjoying yourselves."

"There's more to it than that."

"I need the time to get you an apartment. And rest assured, it will not be as deficient as the one you previously inhabited. In fact, I am relatively sure that there is an apartment in the same building as Kiba's that is available and just what you need."

"I'd like that one if you can get it."

"Of course. Now run along and enjoy your vacation."

"Yes sir!" he called from over his shoulder as he made his way out.

Sarutobi turned to his window and watched the blonde disappear "_Welcome home Naruto."_


End file.
